Proverbs 30 - Modern English Version

The Sayings of Agur

¹ The words of Agur son of Jakeh. An oracle. The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ukal:

² Surely I am more stupid than any man, and do not have the understanding of a man.

³ I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained the knowledge of the Holy One.

⁴ Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of His hands? Who has bound the waters in His cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name? And what is the name of His son? Surely you know!

⁵ Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

⁶ Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and you be found a liar.

⁷ Two things I ask of you; do not deny them to me before I die:

⁸ Remove far from me falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with my daily bread,

⁹ lest I be full and deny You, and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor, and steal, and profane the name of my God.

¹⁰ Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

¹¹ There is a generation that curses its father, and does not bless its mother.

¹² There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, and yet is not washed from its filthiness.

¹³ There is a generation—oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up.

¹⁴ There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, whose fangs are like knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among mortals.

¹⁵ The leech has two daughters: Give! Give! Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough”:

¹⁶ Sheol, the barren womb, the earth never filled with water, and the fire that never says, “Enough.”

¹⁷ The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley will pluck it out, and the young vultures will eat it.

¹⁸ Three things are too wonderful for me; four which I do not understand:

¹⁹ the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with a virgin.

²⁰ This is the way of an adulteress: she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, “I have done no wrong.”

²¹ Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:

²² a servant when he reigns, a fool when he is filled with food,

²³ a hateful woman when she is married, and a servant girl who displaces her mistress.

²⁴ Four things on earth are little, but they are exceedingly wise:

²⁵ the ants are a people not strong, yet they store up their food in the summer;

²⁶ the badgers are a people not powerful, yet they build their houses in the rocks;

²⁷ the locusts have no king, yet they all march in ranks;

²⁸ the spider takes hold with her hands, yet she lives in palaces of a king.

²⁹ Three things are majestic in their walk, four which are majestic in their stride:

³⁰ the lion, which is mightiest among beasts, and does not turn away from anything;

³¹ the strutting rooster, the he-goat, and a king whose army is with him.

³² If you have done foolishly in exalting yourself, or if you have devised evil, lay your hand on your mouth.

³³ For as the churning of the milk produces butter, and the wringing of the nose produces blood, so the forcing of wrath produces strife.